The effects of goal-cueing on state rumination and the role of trait rumination to athletic performance : an experimental study among competitive Icelandic golfers
Previous studies have suggested that cognitive processes such as rumination exist among athletes and can negatively impact performance. However, no studies have tested the causal links between rumination and performance outcomes in sports settings. This underscores a notable knowledge gap in the literature. The proposed research aims to address this gap by utilizing an experimental design to test whether a goal-cueing task can increase state rumination and affect athletic performance among athletes. The aim was also to look at the role of trait rumination on state rumination. The participants were 67 Icelandic golfers competing at the professional, elite, or competitive level, all aged 18 years or older. No statistically significant effects were found for the goal-cuing induction or the effects of trait rumination on state rumination over time. However, the study revealed noteworthy patterns, demonstrating some associations between trait rumination and state rumination, where participants who reported high trait rumination scores generally exhibited higher levels of state rumination compared to those with low trait rumination. In line with prior findings, increases in state rumination were significantly associated with decreases in objectively measured athletic performance, regardless of experimental condition. The interaction between changes in state rumination and performance outcomes between experimental groups was not significant. Thus, future research is needed to further explore the idea that there is a causal relationship between state rumination, trait rumination, and how it might affect performance outcomes.
Klínísk sálfræði, Meistaraprófsritgerðir, Neikvæðni, Golf (íþrótt), Clinical psychology, Negative thinking, Golf
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